Water may contain many different kinds of contaminants including, for example, particulates, harmful chemicals, and microbiological organisms, such as bacteria, parasites, protozoa, and viruses. In a variety of circumstances, these contaminants must be removed before the water can be used. Any harmful contaminants must be removed from water before it is portable, i.e., fit to consume. Despite modern water treatment means, the general population is at risk, and in particular infants and persons with compromised immune systems are at considerable risk.
In the U.S. and other developed countries, municipally treated water typically includes one or more of the following impurities: suspended solids, bacteria, parasites, viruses, organic matter, heavy metals, and chlorine. Breakdown and other problems with water treatment systems sometimes lead to incomplete removal of bacteria and viruses. In non-developed countries, there are deadly consequences associated with exposure to contaminated water, as some of them have increasing population densities, increasingly scarce water resources, and no water treatment utilities. It is common for sources of drinking water to be in close proximity to human and animal waste, such that microbiological contamination is a major health concern. As a result of waterborne microbiological contamination, an estimated six million people die each year, half of which are children under 5 years of age.
While many different water treatment medias have been developed to remove these contaminants, these medias are often placed into devices or systems that promote, or do not adequately guard against, recontamination of treated water. For instance, the interface between the cartridge and device of many water treatment systems often include only single barrier between the contaminated water being treated, and the treated water (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,735,716; 4,857,189; 4,948,505; and 5,486,288). Thus, any breach of the single barrier will most likely lead to recontamination of the treated water being consumed.
Also, many systems are configured to allow for contamination of the device outlet when changing water treatment cartridges (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,735,716; 4,857,189; 4,948,505; and 5,486,288). That is, devices are often designed such that contaminated water directly contacts one or more parts of the device that is responsible for delivering treated water.
Still further, the barriers of many water treatment cartridges are often oriented such that they may be easily contaminated by the user, or susceptible to being damaged as they are packaged, shipped, or otherwise handled (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,735,716; 4,857,189, 4,948,505; 5,695,168; 5,114,572; U.S. Pub. No. 2002/0100720; and WO 01/26772).
Additionally, many water treatment cartridges are designed in a way that fails to allow the interface to mechanically function to actuate valves seated in the water treatment devices that the water treatment cartridges are being interfaced with, and those that do often fail to utilize a mechanical advantage in actuating an inlet and/or an outlet valve (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,256,285; 5,607,582; and 5,753,111).
Due to the above concerns and general interest in improving the quality of water, there is a continuing desire to provide a water treatment system which decreases the likelihood of re-contaminating treated water. Additionally, there is a desire to provide a water treatment cartridge that can accomplish the foregoing and is also capable of mechanically actuating valves.